How to Test on Safari Browsers With LambdaTest

In the dynamic world of web development, ensuring that your website or web application functions seamlessly across different browsers is essential. Among the various browsers, Safari, with its dedicated user base, holds a significant share in the market. To guarantee an optimal user experience for Safari users, thorough automation testing on this browser is imperative. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to conduct effective Safari browser testing using LambdaTest, an AI-powered test orchestration and test execution platform.

1. Preparing Your Website/ Web Application for Safari Testing

Before you embark on testing, it’s crucial to ensure that your website or web application is ready for Safari. Here are the key steps:

Cross-browser Compatibility Checklist When preparing for Safari testing, create a comprehensive cross-browser compatibility checklist. This checklist should encompass various elements, including:

1. Layout and Styling: Verify that your website’s layout and styling elements, such as CSS and responsive design, render correctly on Safari. Pay special attention to media queries for different screen sizes and resolutions.
2. JavaScript Functionality: Test JavaScript code for compatibility with Safari’s JavaScript engine. Safari might interpret certain JavaScript code differently, leading to unexpected behavior.
3. HTML Markup: Ensure your HTML markup follows web standards and doesn’t rely on browser-specific features. Check for any HTML tags or attributes that may cause issues on Safari.
4. Form Elements: Test all form elements, including input fields, buttons, and validation, to make sure they function as intended on Safari.
5. Images and Multimedia: Check how images, videos, and other multimedia elements are displayed and played on Safari. Safari may have different default settings for multimedia playback.

Identifying Potential Safari-Specific Issues Safari has its quirks and unique features, and it’s essential to be aware of potential Safari-specific issues that might not arise in other browsers. Some common Safari-specific issues include:

1. CSS Compatibility: Safari may not fully support some CSS properties, or it might interpret them differently. Be prepared to make adjustments to your CSS code to ensure consistency.
2. JavaScript Compatibility: Safari uses its JavaScript engine called Nitro, which can behave differently from other browsers’ engines. Test your JavaScript code thoroughly on Safari and be ready to handle any discrepancies.
3. Font Rendering: Safari may render fonts differently than other browsers, potentially causing issues with typography and layout. Check font rendering and fallbacks on Safari.

Implementing Necessary Code Changes Based on the checklist and identified issues, you’ll likely need to make specific code changes to ensure your website functions correctly on Safari. Here are some general best practices for addressing Safari-specific issues:

1. Use Vendor Prefixes: Safari may require vendor prefixes for certain CSS properties. Add prefixes as needed to ensure compatibility.
2. Feature Detection: Instead of browser detection, use feature detection with JavaScript libraries like Modernizr to adapt your code to Safari’s capabilities.
3. Polyfills: Consider using polyfills to provide missing functionality or to normalize behavior across browsers.

By proactively addressing potential Safari-specific issues and making necessary code adjustments, you’ll be better prepared for Safari browser testing with LambdaTest.

2. Launching Safari Browser Tests

Once your website or web application is prepared for Safari testing, you can proceed to launch tests using LambdaTest. Follow these steps to get started:

Choosing the Appropriate Safari Version Safari comes in various versions, and it’s essential to test on versions that your target audience commonly uses. LambdaTest allows you to choose the specific Safari version for testing. Here’s how:

1. Login to Your LambdaTest Account: If you haven’t already, log in to your LambdaTest account. If you don’t have an account, you can sign up for one.
2. Access the Dashboard: Once you’re logged in, access the LambdaTest dashboard. This is your central hub for managing tests and configurations.
3. Select the Safari Browser: In the dashboard, you’ll find a list of browsers and platforms. Locate Safari and click on it. You’ll see a dropdown menu with various Safari versions.
4. Choose the Desired Safari Version: From the dropdown menu, select the Safari version you want to test on. LambdaTest provides access to a range of historical Safari versions, allowing you to ensure backward compatibility.

Selecting the Desired macOS Platform Safari runs on macOS, and the version of macOS can also impact browser behavior. LambdaTest provides options for selecting different macOS platforms to ensure comprehensive testing. Here’s how:

1. Access Platform Selection: After choosing the Safari version, you’ll see options for selecting the macOS platform. Click on this option.
2. Choose macOS Version: LambdaTest offers various macOS versions, including the latest ones. Select the macOS version you want to test on. Consider testing on multiple macOS versions to cover a broader user base.

Write Your Website URL With the Safari version and macOS platform selected, you can now specify a URL to test remotely

Start the Test: After entering the URL, click ‘Start Test.’ LambdaTest will load the specified website on the chosen Safari version and macOS platform for testing.

III. Test Configuration Options

LambdaTest provides various test configuration options to help you fine-tune your Safari testing environment. These options enable

you to simulate different scenarios and conditions that your users may encounter. Let’s explore these configuration options in detail:

Adjusting Screen Resolution and Viewports: Screen resolution and viewports play a significant role in how your website is displayed on various devices. LambdaTest allows you to configure these settings to mimic different devices and screen sizes:

1. Access the Configuration Panel: After starting a test, you’ll find a configuration panel that provides options for adjusting screen resolution and viewports. Locate and click on this panel.
2. Customize Screen Resolution: LambdaTest allows you to choose from a list of predefined screen resolutions or enter custom values. Select a resolution that matches the target device you want to simulate.
3. Viewport Configuration: You can also configure the viewport settings, including the device type (mobile, tablet, desktop), orientation (portrait or landscape), and user agent.
4. Save Configuration: After customizing the screen resolution and viewport settings, save your configuration changes. This will ensure that the test accurately simulates the chosen device and display characteristics.

Network Throttling and Geolocation Settings: Simulating real-world network conditions and geolocations is crucial for comprehensive testing. LambdaTest offers options to adjust these settings:

1. Network Throttling: To test how your website performs under varying network conditions, LambdaTest allows you to throttle the network speed. You can simulate different connection types, such as 3G, 4G, or even custom speeds to assess loading times and performance.
2. Geolocation Settings: If your website relies on geolocation services, LambdaTest enables you to specify a custom geolocation. This allows you to test location-based features and functionality.

4. Performing Manual Safari Testing

Manual testing is often the first step in the testing process, allowing you to interact with your website in a way that simulates user behavior. In this section, we’ll guide you through the steps of performing manual Safari testing using LambdaTest.

Navigating Through Your Website:

1. Access the Live Test: After configuring the desired settings, click on the ‘Live Test’ button to initiate the test. This will open a live preview of your website on the selected Safari version and macOS platform.
2. Explore the Website: Begin by navigating through your website on Safari. Interact with various elements, including links, buttons, forms, and multimedia content. Pay close attention to how the site responds to user input.
3. Check for Visual Anomalies: While navigating, keep an eye out for any visual anomalies or layout issues that may arise specifically on Safari. Check for pixel-perfect rendering and ensure that all design elements align correctly.
4. Verify Functionality: Test the functionality of interactive elements, such as dropdown menus, sliders, and pop-up dialogs. Make sure that JavaScript-based features work as intended on Safari.

Interacting With Elements:

1. User Input Testing: Test user input scenarios, such as filling out forms, submitting data, and validating input. Ensure that input fields, buttons, and validation messages function correctly on Safari.
2. Hover and Click Interactions: Verify hover and click interactions on buttons, links, and menus. Ensure that hover effects and click events trigger as expected.
3. Multimedia Playback: Test multimedia elements like videos and audio players. Confirm that media playback works smoothly and that controls are functional on Safari.

Capturing Screenshots and Video Recordings:

1. Screenshots: LambdaTest provides an option to capture screenshots during testing. Take screenshots at critical points in your testing process to document visual discrepancies or issues.
2. Video Recordings: You can also record video sessions of your testing. This is especially useful for documenting user interactions and identifying any unexpected behavior.

Reporting Bugs and Issues:

1. Bug Reporting: If you encounter any issues, such as layout problems, broken functionality, or visual discrepancies, use LambdaTest’s built-in bug reporting feature. Provide detailed descriptions of the issues, including steps to reproduce them, and attach screenshots or video recordings if necessary.
2. Annotations: LambdaTest allows you to annotate screenshots to highlight specific issues or areas of concern. Use annotations to provide additional context for the reported bugs.

5. Automating Safari Testing

While manual testing provides valuable insights, it can be time-consuming, especially when testing across multiple browser versions. Automation offers a more efficient way to conduct repetitive tests and ensures consistency in test execution. In this section, we’ll introduce you to automated testing using LambdaTest for Safari.

Introduction to Automated Testing: Automated testing involves using scripts or test cases to simulate user interactions and verify the functionality of your website. LambdaTest supports automated testing using various programming languages and testing frameworks, including Selenium and Cypress. Here’s how to get started with automated testing on Safari:

Setting Up Test Scripts for Safari:

1. Select Automation Mode: In the LambdaTest dashboard, navigate to the ‘Automation’ section. Here, you’ll find options for configuring and running automated tests.
2. Choose a Programming Language: Select the programming language you’re comfortable with for writing test scripts. LambdaTest supports multiple languages, including Java, Python, C#, JavaScript, and Ruby.
3. Install Necessary Dependencies: Depending on your chosen programming language, install the necessary libraries and dependencies for Selenium or Cypress automation. These libraries allow you to interact with browsers programmatically.
4. Write Test Scripts: Create test scripts that describe the interactions you want to automate on your website. These scripts will use Selenium or Cypress commands to navigate, interact with elements, and validate functionality.
5. Specify Browser and Platform: In your test scripts, specify the desired Safari version and macOS platform as part of your test configuration. LambdaTest will launch the specified browser and platform for your automated tests.
6. Run Automated Tests: Execute your automated test scripts using your preferred testing framework. LambdaTest provides detailed documentation and examples to help you get started with Selenium and Cypress automation.

Running Automated Test Suites:

1. Test Suites: Organize your automated tests into test suites to manage and execute them more efficiently. Test suites allow you to group related test cases and execute them together.
2. Parallel Testing: LambdaTest offers parallel testing capabilities, enabling you to run multiple automated tests simultaneously across different browser versions and platforms. This significantly reduces testing time.
3. Continuous Integration (CI) Integration: Integrate your automated tests with popular CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) tools like Jenkins, Travis CI, or CircleCI. This allows you to automate test execution as part of your development workflow.

Test Result Analysis

Accessing and analyzing test results is a critical step in the Safari browser testing process. LambdaTest provides detailed test reports and logs to help you identify issues, track progress, and make informed decisions. In this section, we’ll explore how to interpret test results effectively.

Accessing Test Reports and Logs:

1. Test Session Dashboard: LambdaTest offers a test session dashboard where you can access the results of your testing sessions. This dashboard provides an overview of all your test sessions, including those on Safari.
2. Session Details: Click on a specific test session to view detailed information. LambdaTest provides insights into test configuration, session duration, and test environment (Safari version, macOS platform).
3. Screenshots and Videos: Access screenshots and video recordings captured during testing. Review these visual resources to identify visual discrepancies and unexpected behavior.

Identifying Cross-Browser Compatibility Issues:

1. Visual Comparisons: If you suspect visual discrepancies across browsers, use LambdaTest’s visual comparison feature. It allows you to compare screenshots taken in different browsers, including Safari, to pinpoint layout differences.
2. JavaScript Errors: Check the browser console logs for JavaScript errors specific to Safari. LambdaTest logs JavaScript errors, warnings, and log messages, helping you identify potential coding issues.
3. Performance Metrics: Review performance testing results to identify any performance-related issues specific to Safari. Look for discrepancies in page load times, rendering speed, and resource utilization.

Resolving Safari-Specific Problems:

1. Bug Reports: LambdaTest’s bug reporting feature allows you to submit issues directly from the testing environment. Review bug reports and prioritize them based on severity and impact.
2. Collaboration: Collaborate with your development and QA teams to address Safari-specific problems efficiently. LambdaTest provides features for assigning, tracking, and resolving issues collaboratively.

Collaboration and Team Workflows

In today’s collaborative development environments, effective communication and teamwork are essential. LambdaTest offers features that facilitate collaboration among team members, making it easier to manage and coordinate Safari browser testing efforts. Let’s explore these collaboration features and team workflows:

Managing Team Members and Access Permissions:

1. User Management: LambdaTest allows account owners and administrators to manage team members. You can add team members to your LambdaTest account and assign different roles and permissions.
2. Roles and Permissions: Define roles for team members, such as testers, developers, and managers. Assign permissions based on responsibilities, ensuring that team members have the appropriate level of access.
3. Access Control: Team members can access specific projects and testing environments based on their assigned permissions. This granular access control helps maintain data security and privacy.

Effective Team Workflows:

1. Communication Channels: Establish clear communication channels within your team to discuss testing progress, share insights, and address issues promptly. Use LambdaTest’s collaboration features to facilitate communication.
2. Issue Tracking Integration: Integrate LambdaTest with your preferred issue tracking system (e.g., Jira, Trello) to ensure that identified issues are efficiently tracked and resolved.
3. Regular Updates: Keep team members informed with regular updates on testing progress and results. Schedule meetings or use project management tools to coordinate efforts effectively.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Safari browser testing with LambdaTest opens up a world of possibilities for ensuring cross-browser compatibility and delivering a seamless user experience to Safari users.